Lamp-retaining contact

ABSTRACT

A lampholder for a fluorescent lamp has spaced contacts for receiving and making electrical connections to the contact pins of the lamp with a push-in movement of the lamp. The contacts are mounted in a housing of insulating material and each contact is slit to form a set of spring fingers which resiliently engage with one of the contact pins of the lamp. The opposing edges of the spring fingers contain an enlarged opening in which the contact pin of the lamp is seated and held. The enlarged opening is angularly disposed relative to the slit in the contact and is offset at one end to hold the contact pin between the spring fingers and prevent accidental displacement of the pin from engagement with the contact.

United States Patent [191 Johnson et al.

[111 3,828,299 Aug. 6, 1974 LAMP-RETAINING CONTACT [75] inventors: George E. Johnson, Bronxville;

Walter Newman, Forest Hills, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc., Brooklyn, NY.

[22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 290,989

[52] US. Cl. 339/53, 339/258 R [51] Int. Cl H01! 33/08 [58] Field of Search 339/50, 57, 189, 258, 97

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,402,941 7/1946 Bixby 339/53 3,052,864 9/1962 Gaynor 339/53 3,147,058 9/1964 Zdanis 339/97 R 3,521,221 7/1970 Lenaerts et al 339/97 P 3,605,071 9/1971 Sedlacek 339/97 P 3,639,887 2/1972 Johnson et a1. 339/53 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 596,200 4/1934 Germany 339/56 564,685 11/1932 Germany ..339/56 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-T. P. Lewis Attorney, Agent, or FirmHanse H. Hamilton 57 ABSTRACT A lampholder for a fluorescent lamp has spaced contacts for receiving and making electrical connections to the contact pins of the lamp with a push-in movement of the lamp.

The contacts are mounted in a housing of insulating material and each contact is slit to form a set of spring fingers which resiliently engage with one of the contact pins of the lamp. The opposing edges of the spring fingers contain an enlarged opening in which the contact pin of the lamp is seated and held. The enlarged opening is angularly disposed relative to the slit in the contact and is offset at one end to hold the contact pin between the spring fingers and prevent accidental displacement of the pin from engagement with the contact.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures LAMP-RETAINING CONTACT The present invention relates to a lamp-retaining contact. It relates, more particularly, to a lampretaining contact for a push-in type of fluorescent lampholder.

An object of the invention is to provide contacts for a push-in type of fluorescent lampholder which engage with and hold the contact pins of the fluorescent lamp against accidental disengagement from the lampholder. Such contacts permit installation and shipment of the lamp in a fixture with less risk of the lamp becoming loose or dropping from the fixture.

Another object of the invention is to provide contacts for a fluorescent lampholder of the push-in type which hold a fluorescent lamp against accidentaly dropping from a lighting fixture after the fixture has been installed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and be better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a lampholder for a fluorescent lamp having lamp-receiving contacts which embody the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in vertical section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lamp-retaining contact which embodies the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of an end of the contact shown in FIG. 3 with a contact pin being inserted; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 with the contact pin seated in the contact.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is a lampholder 10.

The lampholder is a push-in type of lampholder and in general, is similar to the lampholder shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,639,887 issued Feb. 1, 1972, to which reference may be made for additional details.

The lampholder has a tombstone type body which includes a hollow housing 11 of insulating material which contains a pair of spaced contacts 12 in position to receive and make electrical connections to the contact pins at the ends of a fluorescent lamp (not shown). Each of the contacts 12 is U-shaped and has legs 12a and 12b which extend around supporting bosses 13 and 14 in the housing 11. A cover plate 15 is secured to the rear of the housing 11 and holds the contacts 12 in the housing.

The upper end of the housing 11 contains spaced slots 16 which are aligned with the outer ends of the contacts 12 to receive the contact pins of the lamp for engagement with the contacts. The lamp and the contact pins are pushed into engagement with the contacts 12 with a straight motion. In a fixture, one of the lampholders 10 is located at each end of the lamp to support the lamp and make the desired electrical connections to the contact pins at opposite ends of the lamp. Also, the contacts 12 are provided with the usual wiring terminals at their inner or lower ends.

The contacts 12 are formed of a conductive sheet metal such as bronze and are of similar construction. Each contact has spring fingers 17 and 18 at its outer end which resiliently engage with one of the contact pins 19 of the lamp. The spring fingers l7 and 18 are formed by a vertical cut or slit 20 which extends lengthwise through the outer end of the contact and partially through the upper leg 12a thereof. Ends 21 and 22 of the spring fingers l7 and 18 diverge outwardly and direct the contact pin 19 into an enlarged opening 23 for engagement between opposing side edges of the spring fingers 17 and 18. Entry of the contact pin 19 between the spring fingers l7 and 18 spreads the spring fingers apart as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The edges of the spring fingers engage the contact pins 19 with a twisting and wiping action as described in the above mentioned Pat. No. 3,639,887.

Upon insertion, the contact pin 19 is seated and held in the enlarged opening 23 formed by the opposing side edges of the spring fingers 17 and 18. The enlarged opening or seat 23 has an elongated oval shape and a restricted entrance communicates with the opening 23 in a side thereof to receive the lamp pin. The elongated opening 23 has generally parallel sides and an axis which is angularly disposed relative to the vertical opening 23 in a side thereof in the contact by an angle of about 15 and the entrance has generally parallel sides and an axis which is offset relative to the slit 20.

An outer end of one of the fingers defining the opening 23 curves inwardly and extends partially across the contact pin 19 to restrict removal of the pin through the entrance to the seat opening 23. The curved outer end of the seat opening 23 is offset relative to the slit 20 and resists removal of the pin 19 from engagement between the spring fingers l7 and 18. The inwardly extending offset end holds the contact pin against accidental disengagement from the contact due to vibration or other forces. However, such an arrangement does not interfere with the insertion or removal of the lamp with a straight or push-in movement.

When the lamp is removed from engagement with the contacts 20, the contact pins 19 engage with projections 24 at the ends of the spring fingers l8 and force the spring fingers l7 and 18 apart as the contact pins pass through the restricted entrances to the seats 23.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art in the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp the improvement which comprises:

a. a sheet metal contact for supporting and making electrical contact with a lamp pin;

b. said contact including a portion containing a vertical slit with a pair of spreadable spring fingers formed at an outer end thereof for engagement with the lamp pin;

0. said vertical slit extending lengthwise of said portion of the contact;

d. said spring fingers having opposing side edges at outer ends thereof defining an elongated opening in the contact for seating the lamp pin therein;

e. said elongated opening having generally parallel sides with a lengthwise axis disposed at an acute angle of more than zero degrees relative to said vertical slit;

f. opposing end portions of said fingers defining a restricted, offset entrance to said opening at an outer end thereof;

g. said entrance providing a constriction of smaller width than the opening; and

h. opposing edges at outer ends of the fingers diverging outwardly from said entrance and defining a passageway leading to said entrance.

2. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. the axis of the elongated opening is inclined at an acute angle of more than zero degrees and less than fifteen degrees relative to the vertical lengthwise slit in the contact.

3. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the combination which includes:

a. a housing;

b. sheet metal contacts mounted in spaced relation to each other in the housing for supporting and making electrical contact with a pair of spaced lamp pins;

c. each of said contacts comprising a pair of spring fingers at an outer end thereof, and having a portion containing a vertical slit extending lengthwise of the contact;

d. said slits permitting movement of the spring fingers relative to each other;

e. the spring fingers of each pair having opposing edges at outer ends thereof;

f. said opposing edges defining an elongated opening for receiving and seating a lamp pin therein;

g. each of said elongated openings having generally paralled sides with an axis disposed at an acute angle of more than 0 and less than 15 relative to said lengthwise slit in the contact;

h. opposing portions of the fingers defining a restricted entrance to one side of each of the elongated openings;

i. said restricted entrances providing constrictions smaller than the elongated openings;

4. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the combination as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. each pair of the spring fingers has ends extending upwardly and outwardly from the restricted entrances to said openings.

. UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF -CORRECTION Dated A z ust s, 1974 Inventor (s) It is certified that errer appears in tl 1e abeve-identified patent and that said Letfers' Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

C01. 1, line 24, ehangelamp-receiving" to --1a.-mp-retain ing C01. 2, line 2-2, change ope aing' 23 in a, side"the reof" .to -s1i1 20 I elete 'has generally Parallel sides and an C01. 2 lines 23 and 24, d axis which" Signed and Sealed this 3rd day of fieceraber 1974.

- (SEAL) Atteat:

McCOY M. mason JR. 4 Arresting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Comissioner of Patents FORM uscomw-oc how s-P s:

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1. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp the improvement which comprises: a. a sheet metal contact for supporting and making electrical contact with a lamp pin; b. said contact including a portion containing a vertical slit with a pair of spreadable spring fingers formed at an outer end thereof for engagement with the lamp pin; c. said vertical slit extending lengthwise of said portion of the contact; d. said spring fingers having opposing side edges at outer ends thereof defining an elongated opening in the contact for seating the lamp pin therein; e. said elongated opening having generally parallel sides with a lengthwise axis disposed at an acute angle of more than zero degrees relative to said vertical slit; f. opposing end portions of said fingers defining a restricted, offset entrance to said opening at an outer end thereof; g. said entrance providing a constriction of smaller width than the opening; and h. opposing edges at outer ends of the fingers diverging outwardly from said entrance and defining A passageway leading to said entrance.
 2. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the axis of the elongated opening is inclined at an acute angle of more than zero degrees and less than fifteen degrees relative to the vertical lengthwise slit in the contact.
 3. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the combination which includes: a. a housing; b. sheet metal contacts mounted in spaced relation to each other in the housing for supporting and making electrical contact with a pair of spaced lamp pins; c. each of said contacts comprising a pair of spring fingers at an outer end thereof, and having a portion containing a vertical slit extending lengthwise of the contact; d. said slits permitting movement of the spring fingers relative to each other; e. the spring fingers of each pair having opposing edges at outer ends thereof; f. said opposing edges defining an elongated opening for receiving and seating a lamp pin therein; g. each of said elongated openings having generally paralled sides with an axis disposed at an acute angle of more than 0* and less than 15* relative to said lengthwise slit in the contact; h. opposing portions of the fingers defining a restricted entrance to one side of each of the elongated openings; i. said restricted entrances providing constrictions smaller than the elongated openings;
 4. In a push-in type of lampholder for a fluorescent lamp, the combination as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. each pair of the spring fingers has ends extending upwardly and outwardly from the restricted entrances to said openings. 